1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pull top type cans for canned beer and canned juices and, more particularly, to a can with a seal covering an openable tap.
2. Description of Related Art
FIG. 11 shows a prior art pull top type can, in which beer or other drinks is sealed. As shown, the can comprises a cylindrical can body 1 with a bottom. Its top has a pull top member 3, which can be raised by pulling and raising the pull top member 3 for drinking the contents, a tearable lid 6a is teared and brought into the can, thus forming an opening 6 as a tap.
As shown in FIG. 11, when unclean contaminant (a) is attached to a can top portion near the tap, it may enter the can when the tap is opened, or it may enter the body of the person who drinks the contents. Sometimes, the contaminant may induce a disease.
Another problem is that the edge of the opened tap is sharp like a razor and may injure fingers. Particularly it is dangerous for infants and children.
At present, the product liability regulations concerning the responsibility of products are enforced, and the manufactures have to provide some measure for solving the above problem.
As shown in FIG. 12, a further problem is that the contents of the can may be scattered to the outside to contaminate garments or nearby things when operating the pull top member 3 while walking or in a rocking train or in a tilted state of the can or in dependence on the way of applying a force to the pull top member 3 for raising.
In a different type of can, a thin plastic lid is merely fitted on the can top. Such a lid is easily detached during transport or handling of the can. Besides, once the lid is detached, it can no longer be fitted right.
One prior art device is a hygienic mouth protector (U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,509) which provides a seal with adhesive such as a gum arabic over the lid portion of a can. However, the seal adhesive and features of the seal do not allow for re-adhesion and reuse and the device does not incorporate anti-bacterial properties. It serves merely as a hygienic protector of the lid area between manufacture until first consumed. The seal is adhesively applied under sterilized conditions; however sterilization does not continue once the seal is first removed. Further, the prior art structure in U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,509 discloses an upper portion connected to a tear-strip over the can opening wherein the upper portion is pulled-up together with the mouth protector and tear-strip, thus allowing beverage to easily splash out or flow through the can opening during the protector and tear-strip removal step.